This year the NSCA Team USA will be hosting two "Super Schools" to raise money for international competition expenses.  At these intensive schools you will have the opportunity to learn from eight of the best sporting shots in the game.  Shooters like Brad Kidd, Bill McGuire, Zach Kienbaum, Gebben Miles, Dan Carlisle and more will be instructing.

The schools are two days each with 12 hours of instruction, 3 hours per instructor and limited to 12 students per school at a cost of $2,000.  Again the schools are to raise money to go towards funding of Team USA expenses for international competition.  Two schools are planned, one in Texas and one in New Jersey (see flyer below for more detail):

April 2-3, 2012 – American Shooting Centers, Houston, TX
Instructors: Dan Carlisle, Brad Kidd, Jr., Gebben Miles, Jon Kruger

April 28-29, 2012 – M&M Hunting Preserve & Sporting Clays, Pennsville, NJ
Instructors: Anthony Matarese, Jr., Bill McGuire, Will Fennell, Zach Kienbaum

Registration is at Winscoreonline.com or for more information contact:

Judy Morris, Team USA Manager at 512-771-4982 or judy@morrisj.com

Gun control is a hideous thing. Just received this communication from FITASC HQ this morning. The bottom line is if you shoot a semi for sporting and want to shoot in Australia you better bring an O/U. The Australian government has chosen NOT to allow competitors to import semi-automatic shotguns for the world FITASC event. I’ll refrain from saying anything too negative about Australia and gun control because the people there are all too aware of what has happened. U.S. shooters lets not let this happen too us! Non Australian shooters can cancel out of the event and receive a refund if they do so by September 7th, 2009. Full text of the communication follows:

Dear friend shooters,

You have entered the World Sporting championship which takes place in Warrnambool, Australia from November 19th to 22nd, 2009 and we congratulate you for your participation!

Due to a decision of the Australian Government, competitors in the 2009 FITASC Sporting World Championships will not be allowed to import Semi-Automatic Shotguns into Australia. This decision was received on 12th August 2009 from The Australian Minister for Home Affairs.

Non Australian competitors are reminded that they must complete two applications for entry of themselves and their firearms into Australia:

1 INTERNATIONAL VISITORS FIREARMS PERMIT This form is available on the FITASC Sporting World Championships website under GUNS & AMMO. It must be sent either by fax or by email direct to:

Victorian Firearms Licencing Services Email :licensingservices@police.vic.gov.au Facsimile +61 3 9247 6485

2 PERSONAL AND FIREARMS DETAILS TO BE FORWARDED FOR AUSTRALIAN CUSTOMS This form is also available on the FITASC website and must be forwarded either by fax or by email to:

Mr Ray McFarlane Email: raymcf@pipeline.com.au Facsimile + 61-3-52502173

They must be forwarded at least 6 weeks prior to the competition to allow for processing, so before October 1st 2009.

We inform you that any entry cancellation of non Australian shooters, received at Fitasc by September 7th, owing to the banning from importing semi-automatic shotguns, will be entitled to a total refund of the entry. Yours in sport. Fitasc Administration

To start the year off right I thought it would be good to get some tips from Anthony Matarese Jr. (USA) who had an absolutely stunning 2008 season scooping the win at several big blasts, the National FITASC, the U.S. Open, the National Championships and silver in Cyprus.

I’m trying to recall a shooter who might have equaled that feat in the past and I can’t. Not only is he a top competitor he does it with tons of unique style too. Think we can learn a thing or two from him?

In FITASC sporting while standing in the hoop viewing targets, a lot more than just a target is being thrown. In fact there is a huge amount of information being thrown and in a short period of time. How well a shooter is able to process this information can be the difference between success and well….

International Sporting Clays: So you are on the parcour, in the hoop, viewing targets what do you do? 

Anthony Matarese Jr: I determine where I first see the target, where my break point will be, the line of the target and where my hold point will be. My break point is determined by where I see the target the clearest, or where it looks the biggest. I always acquire the target visually as soon as possible, and often mark a tree or object in the background to use as a reference.

ISC: What’s the most important thing to look for?

AM: The most important thing that I look for is where I see the target the clearest. More specifically, I will determine what part of the target I will FOCUS on as the target enters my break point.

ISC: I’ve seen some shooters get lost in the menu while shooting. What are they to do?

AM: I have done the same myself but I try to draw a mental image of each targets flight path during the show birds. When in doubt, I will ask the referee: " The A bird is a teal correct?"

ISC: When it’s your turn at the doubles how do you set up for report pairs? True Pairs?

AM: Being right handed I normally position my left toe between the two break points or there about. Specifically, I make sure my upper body is free of restriction when going from one target to the next. If your feet are wrong, your upper body will hinder the natural movement of the gun. The result is gun movement that is done with the arms, not the body. On report pairs that have break points that are really far apart I may even move my feet for the second shot.

ISC: If it is a true pair what do you look for to know which to shoot first?

AM: I always shoot true pairs in a way that gives me the best visual advantage on both shots. I think that being able to shoot dropping targets well is a big advantage when it comes to shooting true pairs.

ISC: Considering that you shoot an auto and the diverse set of targets found on a parcour how do you go about choke selection?

AM: I shoot LT MOD 95% of the time regardless of the targets. My LT MOD is a bit tight so it would be equivalent to most peoples Modified. During the World FITASC, World Sporting, US Open & Nationals I only shot Improved Modified on 2 sporting stations and 1 FITASC Peg. Read that again folks, there are some real pearls of wisdom hidden in there. Anthony is available for lessons at various clubs around the country. Go and improve your shooting and possibly get some style into your stiff old game. Check his website below for more details.

http://www.clayshootinginstruction.com/

The International Sporting Clays blog thanks Mr. Anthony Matarese Jr. for his cooperation. Photo courtesy of Mr. Henry S.F. Nachaj at www.sportingphotosshop.com.